Lions Club to Celebrate 60th Birthday on June 21 in Little Neck

The Little Neck Douglaston Lions Club will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a dinner party at Little Neck’s on June 21.

Charles McBride, president of the club, said he will give his farewell speech during the event following his recent decision to step down from his long-time leadership position with the group.

“No one should be president more than two to three years,” said McBride, a retired city police officer who has been a Lions member for 21 years. “After that, you start to lose your enthusiasm and you run the risk of your work becoming routine. The fact that I’m retiring has revived my enthusiasm. It’s a funny thing.”

McBride, who vows to continue to be active in the club, originally served as its president from 1996 to 1997. He took the reins once again six years ago and has led the group since.

McBride said there were several accomplishments of which he was especially proud during his tenure.

“The first thing I did in the 1990s during the cutbacks in school aid and programs was institute a raffle for the Parent Teacher Association,” he said. “They’d turn their money over to us and we’d write a check dollar-for-dollar back to them. We raised $15,000 for them over three years.”

The club brought in a total $15,000 during a three-year period for , P.S. 118 and .

Four years ago, McBride helped to start the Leos youth club at ’s .

“It’s been one of the highlights of my presidency,” said McBride of the youth club, which has an estimated 25 members and raises money and undertakes community service projects.

McBride said he has also been proud that the club has assisted with other local events, such as the 111th Precinct’s annual Night Out on Crime and the Douglaston arts festival, which is held each September.

And he enjoys the club’s ability to provide assistance to people in need through such organizations as the Guide Dog Foundation of Smithtown and the Little Neck Douglaston Memorial Day Parade.

The club also donated eyeglasses to victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

“We’re doing stuff for others all the time and it’s a good feeling,” he said. “The members of the club are people I grew up respecting. They are people of good character.”

McBride’s top goal for the club going forward is to recruit younger members. Currently, its membership ranges in age from 40 to 70 years.

“We want younger people who are community minded to join and share their ideas,” he said.

The club’s 60th anniversary party will be held next Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at La Grotta, located at 254-12 Northern Blvd. in Little Neck.

The fee to attend is $60. To make a reservation, call 917-796-2990 or 212-935-5700.

McBride will make his farewell speech as president during the dinner and new officers will be installed.

Carolyn Meenan will take over as president, while Pat Rifino will become first vice president.

The group will also get a new secretary and treasurer.